April 1, 1864---The Battle of Fitzhugh's Woods

APRIL 1, 1864:            

The Battle of Fitzhugh’s Woods. As Union troops move south through Arkansas toward northern Louisiana Confederate forces attempt to stop them. A nasty (if small-scale) firefight breaks out in a patch of forest known as Fitzhugh’s Woods, when a small Confederate force attacks a much larger Union force. Although the Federals are initially brought up short, they reply in force. The Confederates lose 100 men to the Union’s 15 dead and 15 wounded. The Battle of Fitzhugh’s Woods does great damage to Confederate morale and Confederate recruitment in Arkansas stops almost entirely until Summer comes in.